Curriculum in the Ophthalmology Residency program at IU School of Medicine

Curriculum

Throughout the duration of the training program, residents can expect to play a primary role in approximately 500 cases.

They rotate through a variety of clinic settings, including the clinic at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, which serves as the department’s primary academic and clinical facility for adult services as well as the location for most didactic educational activities. Other clinical settings include the Indiana University Health Methodist and University hospitals, the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital, the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health and the Indiana University Health Springmill Eye Clinic.

At the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, residents are active and primary physicians in ophthalmology comprehensive clinics, with subspecialty supervision in glaucoma and medical retina. The majority of primary cataract surgeries take place on the VA rotations during the PGY4 year.

The Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital also provides a comprehensive ophthalmology experience, with weekly sub-specialty clinics in glaucoma, cornea, retina, pediatrics, oculoplastics, and neuro-ophthalmology. Primary surgical cases are performed here by residents in all sub-specialties.

Residents also have opportunities to gain experience in international ophthalmology by serving as an Associate Ophthalmologist with Orbis International during a one-week rotation at various sites throughout the world. Residents will work with IUSM Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology Daniel Neely, MD, who serves as Orbis Cybersight’s Senior Medical Consultant and longtime volunteer physician.

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The ophthalmology residency program is a fully integrated program. Applicants matching to Indiana University for ophthalmology are required to complete PGY1 with the department. Integrated interns will spend three months on ophthalmology service and the remaining nine months in fields and specialties complementary to ophthalmology.

Rotations: Ambulatory Internal Medicine, Subspecialty Internal Medicine, Vascular Surgery, Anesthesia, MICU, SICU, Emergency Department (one month at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center and one month at IU Health Methodist Hospital), Cardiology

PGY2 residents learn how to take histories, perform refractions and use specialized instruments and equipment to diagnose and treat common ocular problems. Residents complete initial ophthalmologic evaluations under the supervision of IU School of Medicine faculty and begin surgical experience with pediatric ophthalmology and oculoplastics.

Rotations: Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital, Oculoplastics and Pediatrics.

PGY3 residents concentrate on further subspecialty training with increased surgical and consultative responsibilities. Residents begin to gain experience with primary surgeries, including cataract extraction and oculoplastic surgeries.

Rotations: Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center clinic and surgery, Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital clinic and surgery, Comprehensive/Consults and Neuro-ophthalmology.

During the PGY4 year, residents gain significant experience as primary surgeons in all areas of ophthalmic surgery, including cataract, cornea, glaucoma, retina, oculoplastics, pediatrics and refractive surgery. In-depth rotations through the subspecialties augment knowledge and skills obtained during the first two years of residency.

Residents in the third year assume more responsibility for patient care in clinics and ORs, including pre- and post-operative management, and serve as primary surgeons during ocular trauma cases. Two PGY4 residents are selected as chief residents to serve as leaders in academic and administrative roles. These individuals serve as the liaison between the residents and the department chair and program directors.

Rotations: Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital, Cornea/Glaucoma, Pediatrics and Retina

Glick Eye Institute Resident Surgical Skills Transfer Course

The annual surgical skills transfer course provides an outstanding opportunity for department residents to enhance their surgical skills and explore new surgical procedures in a setting that is highly mentored by expert faculty and industry partners. This half-day course takes place every year and involves residents from all levels of training.